The Princess Edd
Prologue


Snow came down hard on the tiny Peach Creek town. Kids frolicked about, riding down hills in sleds, making snowmen, engaging snowball fights with one another. The fact that school was cancelled for the day was a moot point for one boy; he had come down with chickenpox the day before and was in bed playing video games.

"I hope you brought something stronger than a portal gun this time." A devilish smile rotated onto the screen. "Otherwise, I'm afraid you're about to become the immediate past president of the Being Alive Club. Ha ha."

There was a knock on the door, and two people stepped into the room, prompting the boy to pause the game. One was a woman with a mess of curly red hair covering her eyes, the other a man of average stature and a fairly flat head.

"Hi, honey."

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

The mother sat on the bed and massaged the boy's forehead. "Feeling better?"

"A little bit."

"Guess what?" The father smiled.

"What?"

"Your Aunt Marie and Uncle D are here."

The boy moaned. "Dad, can't you tell them I'm sick?"

"You're sick?" The mother laughed. "That's why they're here."

"Aunt Marie will rustle my hair," the boy moaned. "I hate that!"

The father shrugged. "Maybe she won't."

On that note, two more people slipped into the room. One of them was a man with a beanie on his head and a present in his hand. The other was a woman with bluish-purple hair and earrings with black gemstones.

"Hey!" the two greeted in unison.

Aunt Marie leaned toward the boy. "How's the sickie, huh?"

The boy sighed as Aunt Marie's hand went through his hair.

The mother sat in front of the window with her husband, while the two new arrivals made room for another married couple: a blonde woman and a large mono-browed man.

"Aunt May? Uncle Ed?"

The new arrivals smiled and sat down in front of the closet, while Uncle D and Aunt Marie approached the foot of the bed.

Uncle D gave his nephew the present. "We brought you a special present."

"What is it?"

Aunt May smiled. "Open it up."

The boy complied and was presented with... "A book?"

"That's right." Uncle D smiled. "When I was your age, I loved to read books."

Uncle Ed nodded. "And this is a special book."

The father took the book and passed it to Uncle D. "It's a book we all wrote together about our adventures and how we all came together."

Uncle D nodded. "And today, we're going to read it to you."

"Has it got any sports in it?"

His father laughed. "Are you kidding? Fencing..."

Uncle Ed smiled. "...fighting..."

His wife spoke up. "...torture..."

The mother joined in. "...revenge..."

Uncle Ed spoke again. "...giants..."

Uncle D added to the list. "...monsters..."

His wife took part. "...chases..."

The father rejoined the chorus. "...escapes..."

Aunt Marie again. "...true love..."

Aunt May finished off. "...miracles..."

The boy shrugged and turned off the TV. "It doesn't sound too bad. I'll try to stay awake."

Uncle D brought the book open to the first page. "Oh, well, thank you very much. Your vote of confidence is overwhelming." He turned on the lamp on top of the TV behind him. "The Princess Edd: An Autobiographical Ed-venture..."